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April 07, 2015

"F" is for Forcola

The gondola is an enduring image of the watery city of Venice. These flat-bottomed boats are rowed through congested canals by an agile gondolier and a single long oar. Holding the oar in place is the forcola, or oar lock. Forcole (the plural of forcola) are still hand-carved today by skilled local craftsmen and they’re not only functional; they’re also works of art.

Gondola Forcola, or Oar Lock


The workshop of master wood carver Saverio Pastor is located in the Dorsoduro district of Venice near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The shop is filled with rough slabs of wood awaiting their transformation into sleek oars and forcole.


Forcola Outside Saverio Pastor's Workshop


Workshop of Saverio Pastor
Elsewhere in Dorsoduro is another workshop, the Squero di San Trovaso, where the city’s fleet of gondolas are built and repaired. The building resembles an alpine chalet as these craftsmen traditionally hail from Italy’s mountainous Dolomite region.


Squero di San Trovaso, Gondola Workshop


I thought about buying a forcola as a souvenir of my visit to Venice (they’re available for purchase in the shop or on the Saverio Pastor website) but reconsidered when faced with the challenge of fitting it in my luggage. Instead I brought home some smaller, lighter souvenirs. And now I’m second-guessing my decision; a forcola would’ve been a unique piece of sculpture for my home.


The Forcola, a Venetian Work of Art



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11 comments:

  1. Rhonda Albom7 April 2015 at 07:26

    I love this obscure random word. I have been on a Gondola, It was one of those things we just had to do.

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    1. Faye North7 April 2015 at 19:28

      I agree - you can't go to Venice and not ride a gondola!

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  2. Sarah Allan7 April 2015 at 19:54

    Interesting! We were in Venice a couple of years ago. We didn't ride the gondolas (no real desire to) but we thought they were lovely. Happy A-Zing!

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  3. Denise8 April 2015 at 08:20

    When I went to Venice in 1969, I couldn't afford to take a gondola ride. Kinda wish we had splurged.

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    1. Faye North8 April 2015 at 15:17

      Yes, gondola rides can be expensive. Fortunately both times I was in Venice it was with a tour group and the gondola was included.

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  4. Kaitlin9 April 2015 at 08:11

    This is so interesting! We took a gondola ride when we were in Venice last week, but I didn't know they were hand-carved right there in Venice. I'd love to see them making the actual boats as well.

    I found you through the A-Z challenge, and I must say, having just returned from Italy, I'm loving these posts!

    www.kaitlinthrogmorton.com

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    1. Faye North9 April 2015 at 18:02

      I'm glad you found me. I'll be talking about Italy for months!

      Delete
  5. Laura Roberts @ Buttontapper Press10 April 2015 at 16:25

    Hmm. Now I'm wondering where you might put a forcola in your home! Perhaps use it as a coat rack?

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    1. Faye North10 April 2015 at 19:03

      I think they come on a stand, like a table top sculpture.

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  6. Unknown10 September 2020 at 10:37

    Well folks if you can find a used forcola you are one in a million because I happened to be in the right place I walked by an artisan shop every morning I watched him every morning for 10 min I brought him a coffee one morning and he asked me to stay it is meticulous work for the next 10 days went to his shop for about 30 min each day.....with a morning coffee of course. When it was time to leave Back home to Canada he handed me a signed used forcola as a gift & souvenir low and behold I put it up in my workshop and found out it was made from a famous artisan it was worth $25,000......who knew.......

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